Who needs rear breaks?

[Ldoherty0603]

So my rear brakes don't work at all. not when I press the pedal and i'm pretty sure my parking brake doesn't either. My front brakes work though.... So does anyone know where I should start? I was thinking about swapping my rear end out for something with a limited slip and disk brakes. preferably something that will bolt in with minimal modification (including the driveline). Or maybe I am hoping for to much. HALP!!!!

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Before you start swapping stuff, it would be a good idea to learn how brakes work. You have the perfect opportunity right now with the truck you own. Check out the tech section at the top of every page and use the "google custom search" button also at the top of the page. It would also be a good idea to buy a manual for your truck so you have instructions right beside you when you are tearing things apart.
Good luck,

Richard

 

[Ldoherty0603]

Ok! I have bought a a manual a while ago when my timing belt broke, (Thank god for non-interferance engines!) Thanks for the encouragement.

 

[FritzTKatt]

Is it leaking fluid? What were you doing when they last worked? I'm thinking either broken line, crushed line, or mechanical failure.

Jack it up and see what's under the drums. The whole system probably fell apart. Don't press on the pedal without drums on, or you will pop the wheel cylinders and that's just a whole mess.

I'd do a total rebuild from at least the soft line above the axle. If not running a new line completely. New soft line, new hard lines along the axle tube, new wheel cylinders, shoes, springs, drums, pbk parts. Everything... Chances are the parts are all ready to crumble anyway and is your safety worth the couple hundred bucks to just do it right the first time?

 

[wildbill23c]

Ehh, it just makes it easier to do burnouts .

First, check and see if your master cylinder is empty, if so you have a fluid leak and need to most likely replace the rear wheel cylinders. If that's not the problem, your brake shoes may be worn out completely. The self-adjusters may be froze up and not adjusting the brakes. Pull the rear wheels off and pull the drums off and look everything over. My Bronco 2 had a horrible time for a while where the spring holding the self adjuster stuff under tension kept popping lose and dropping everything off the assembly causing a horrible screeching noise, and as a result the brakes wouldn't adjust and after a while I just had front brakes. So check everything out and you'll most likely find the culprit.

 

[Ldoherty0603]

Is it leaking fluid? What were you doing when they last worked? I'm thinking either broken line, crushed line, or mechanical failure.

Jack it up and see what's under the drums. The whole system probably fell apart. Don't press on the pedal without drums on, or you will pop the wheel cylinders and that's just a whole mess.

I'd do a total rebuild from at least the soft line above the axle. If not running a new line completely. New soft line, new hard lines along the axle tube, new wheel cylinders, shoes, springs, drums, pbk parts. Everything... Chances are the parts are all ready to crumble anyway and is your safety worth the couple hundred bucks to just do it right the first time?

I bought the truck 2 years ago and never checked (rookie mistake with lack of mechanical experience). I found out one day when it was snowing, I had chains on the rears and when I hit the brakes my fronts locked up but the rears just kept rolling. I should probably redo the whole rear brake system (along with the front brakes). I just always liked the idea of having disk front and rears. I know how to install the front brakes but the drums I have never done before. Any good tutorial videos to do rear drums?

 

[Ldoherty0603]

Ehh, it just makes it easier to do burnouts .

First, check and see if your master cylinder is empty, if so you have a fluid leak and need to most likely replace the rear wheel cylinders. If that's not the problem, your brake shoes may be worn out completely. The self-adjusters may be froze up and not adjusting the brakes. Pull the rear wheels off and pull the drums off and look everything over. My Bronco 2 had a horrible time for a while where the spring holding the self adjuster stuff under tension kept popping lose and dropping everything off the assembly causing a horrible screeching noise, and as a result the brakes wouldn't adjust and after a while I just had front brakes. So check everything out and you'll most likely find the culprit.

I defiantly have fluid, and I dont see any leaking from the back of the drums. (have not tore it apart yet due to it being my SUPER SAFE daily driver)

 

[Chris_North]

So my rear brakes don't work at all. not when I press the pedal and i'm pretty sure my parking brake doesn't either. My front brakes work though.... So does anyone know where I should start? I was thinking about swapping my rear end out for something with a limited slip and disk brakes. preferably something that will bolt in with minimal modification (including the driveline). Or maybe I am hoping for to much. HALP!!!!

Before you do anything crazy let's start at the beginning. How did you notice you don't have rear brakes?

Otherwise I agree with wildbill. It's no task to check the fluid level, and if that's fine then pull off the drums and check the condition of the adjusters. I know mine tend to freeze up and after a period my rear braking reduces to nearly nothing. As far as the parking brake goes how does the pedal feel as you press it? Does it get tight before it runs out of throw, or does it bottom out with no resistance?


I don't disagree with swapping out your rear for one with LS and disc brakes (in fact I'm doing that myself now), but if you're doing it purely because your current brakes are not working that's a bit like buying a new car because your battery died. If however a new rear is something you've been thinking about for a while I could understand using this as an excuse to replace it. Doing so is a fairly straightforward process, but you should do your research on the matter. If changing to discs the master cylinder should also be changed. I think FX4 axles have discs, but a more accessible and popular swap is usually to put in an explorer rear which requires shock mounts and spring perches to be welded on, and possibly some moving of the brake lines. It's much more likely that fixing what you already have will be cheaper, faster, and easier than doing a swap.



EDIT: So I guess I should probably refresh the page if I let it sit for a half hour before replying, haha.

You know that a majority of the braking is done with the fronts right? It is possible, especially with having chains on the back (giving the rear tires better traction), that you hit the brakes hard enough to apply enough pressure to lock the front wheels, but not enough to lock the rears? One way to check would be to completely jack up and support the rear of the truck (both wheels off the ground) and have a partner hold the brakes and see if you can spin the rear wheels. Be sure to chock the front wheels, as there will be nothing to prevent the truck from rolling with the rears off the ground.

 

[Ldoherty0603]

Before you do anything crazy let's start at the beginning. How did you notice you don't have rear brakes?

Otherwise I agree with wildbill. It's no task to check the fluid level, and if that's fine then pull off the drums and check the condition of the adjusters. I know mine tend to freeze up and after a period my rear braking reduces to nearly nothing. As far as the parking brake goes how does the pedal feel as you press it? Does it get tight before it runs out of throw, or does it bottom out with no resistance?


I don't disagree with swapping out your rear for one with LS and disc brakes (in fact I'm doing that myself now), but if you're doing it purely because your current brakes are not working that's a bit like buying a new car because your battery died. If however a new rear is something you've been thinking about for a while I could understand using this as an excuse to replace it. Doing so is a fairly straightforward process, but you should do your research on the matter. If changing to discs the master cylinder should also be changed. I think FX4 axles have discs, but a more accessible and popular swap is usually to put in an explorer rear which requires shock mounts and spring perches to be welded on, and possibly some moving of the brake lines. It's much more likely that fixing what you already have will be cheaper, faster, and easier than doing a swap.



EDIT: So I guess I should probably refresh the page if I let it sit for a half hour before replying, haha.

You know that a majority of the braking is done with the fronts right? It is possible, especially with having chains on the back (giving the rear tires better traction), that you hit the brakes hard enough to apply enough pressure to lock the front wheels, but not enough to lock the rears? One way to check would be to completely jack up and support the rear of the truck (both wheels off the ground) and have a partner hold the brakes and see if you can spin the rear wheels. Be sure to chock the front wheels, as there will be nothing to prevent the truck from rolling with the rears off the ground.

I know its suppose to do 70% front 30%rear (not sure on how to check on what end is putting out what) but I figured with the amount of snow and ice on the ground that the rears would slide a little.

 

[Ldoherty0603]

Before you do anything crazy let's start at the beginning. How did you notice you don't have rear brakes?

Otherwise I agree with wildbill. It's no task to check the fluid level, and if that's fine then pull off the drums and check the condition of the adjusters. I know mine tend to freeze up and after a period my rear braking reduces to nearly nothing. As far as the parking brake goes how does the pedal feel as you press it? Does it get tight before it runs out of throw, or does it bottom out with no resistance?


I don't disagree with swapping out your rear for one with LS and disc brakes (in fact I'm doing that myself now), but if you're doing it purely because your current brakes are not working that's a bit like buying a new car because your battery died. If however a new rear is something you've been thinking about for a while I could understand using this as an excuse to replace it. Doing so is a fairly straightforward process, but you should do your research on the matter. If changing to discs the master cylinder should also be changed. I think FX4 axles have discs, but a more accessible and popular swap is usually to put in an explorer rear which requires shock mounts and spring perches to be welded on, and possibly some moving of the brake lines. It's much more likely that fixing what you already have will be cheaper, faster, and easier than doing a swap.



EDIT: So I guess I should probably refresh the page if I let it sit for a half hour before replying, haha.

You know that a majority of the braking is done with the fronts right? It is possible, especially with having chains on the back (giving the rear tires better traction), that you hit the brakes hard enough to apply enough pressure to lock the front wheels, but not enough to lock the rears? One way to check would be to completely jack up and support the rear of the truck (both wheels off the ground) and have a partner hold the brakes and see if you can spin the rear wheels. Be sure to chock the front wheels, as there will be nothing to prevent the truck from rolling with the rears off the ground.

and as far of the parking brake goes when I set it. it has tension all the way to the bottom.

 

[Chris_North]

It's hard to say really. Depending on how hard you were braking, the exact condition of the road, etc. it's possible that was normal. Especially considering the chains on the back, which may have biased the traction toward the rear. You may have been applying more force to the less "grippy" of the wheels and so you skidded. I'd still jack it up and see if you have any brakes like I mentioned, especially if you're not too keen on pulling anything apart.

 

[lvwill]

is the rear ABS light on?

 

[Captain Ledd]

I had an issue one winter where I noticed my rear wheels didn't do much of anything at all. Tested it with my friends watching, absolutely standing on the brake pedal, no weight in the bed, didn't lock either on a well slicked, packed snow road.

turned out both of my wheel cylinders had siezed. Replaced them, and my brakes worked again.

Now I've got the 10" brakes with the Explorer swap and WOW, I REALLY noticed those things lol.

 

[adsm08]

I didn't read the whole thing, just the first 5 posts or so. So far good advice given.

I would start by cracking a rear bleeder and hitting the pedal, see if you have fluid coming to the rear. The whole problem could be an obstructed line.

If that is OK, I would tear the brakes down and rebuild. New shoes, cylinders, and a a hardware kit, and adjusters if they don't come in the kit.

Buy these two tools, they are the best things ever for those stupid springs:

This one is for the springs that go to the anchor pin at the top, the round end with the lip is for removing, you just stick it over the pin and turn it, it will pull the spring off.

The small end is for installing, you hook it on the top of the pin, hook your spring over it and lift, it will put the spring on the pin for you.

This one is for all the horizontal springs, you hook one end in the shoe, pull the other end to where it goes with the hook. Works very nicely.

This guy is nice to have, but I've found it's job can be done just as well by a pair of needle nose pliers. It's for the round coil springs that hold the shoes to the backers.

When doing drum brakes, especially unfamiliar ones I like to take it apart piece by piece and lay it all out on the ground as if it were still on the car, so lay your springs out in their positions as you take them off.


Now, the most important thing to keep in mind, the Ranger uses a leading/trailing type drum brake. This means the front and rear shoes are different, and the springs will come apart if you put them in backwards (ask me how I know).

Anyway, there will be one shoe that is long and thin, and one that is short and thick. The short thick one goes towards the front. Very important to make sure that is done correctly. If you screw up just about anything else you won't be able to get it together, that part you can do wrong and not notice until you go down the road and you hear the noise from the adjuster pawl being shoved into the drum.


Also buy one of the big bottles of brake fluid, and then when you bleed the brakes do all 4 wheels until it comes out nice and clear, rather than brown or green. Brake fluid absorbs moisture over time and becomes corrosive. It's important to change it out every 3 years or so. Most people don't do it.

 

[Ldoherty0603]

is the rear ABS light on?

Funny story about that. My gas light doesnt even turn on lol (Im guessing that is my ECU, witch i thought I paid a "buddy" to fix it for me. He skipped town. $500 truck with problems and i'm still obsessed with it (or just crazy). Would my model even have ABS?